WW2 Combat vs Moderns?

[Extra Crispy]

Thinking about getting in to Team Yankee/Moderns when it releases. But I don't know the modern period at all kit/game wise.

Is the combat in moderns like WW2 just with better kit? Or is there something that makes it fundamentally different?

ATGMs, helos, just wondering if they really change the game?

[RedLeif]

the infantry man has gained so much firepower (e.g. RPG 7, AT-4, javelin/spike, Stinger/Mistral) just to name a couple of innovations), communication ability and lethality since WW2 they aren't close to the same at all.

Artillery systems are potentially tremendously more accurate and lethal than the 155 battery of WWII its surprising what they can do

armored vehicles are also so different in terms of movement, protection, communications, fire control, and ammunition capabilities, again the differences can be shocking.

[tbeard1999]

Well, I haven't played Team Yankee yet, but there *should* be some profound differences between modern and WWII. My own rules, A Fistful of TOWs 3, has a very different feel when playing WWII compared with modern. In no particular order, here are some key differences:

Truly effective stabilization, and in the case of the M1 Abrams and its ilk, advanced stabilization that allows effective firing whilst traveling at high speeds.

Much longer ranged tank guns -- a 105mm armed Abrams can effective engage targets at 3600m.

Far more responsive artillery, particularly with the Americans and NATO?

Much better command and control capabilities at battalion (NATO) and regiment (Soviet).

Thermal sights, and advanced night vision gear.

Nuclear weapons (and the effect of protective gear in non-nuclear situations).

Electronic warfare.

Intimate integration of helicopters.

Far better integration of battlefield air support.

Everything, except for ** CENSORED ** units, is mechanized.

Proliferation of longer ranged infantry AT assets (Dragon, Milan for instance).

More firepower in infantry units compared with their WWII counterparts.

Infantry fighting vehicles.

Precision guided munitions.

Drones/RPV (mostly recon assets in the Cold War period).

Body armor.

More effective artillery munitions.

Battlefield air defense assets.

Very long range ATGMs.

[piersyf]

My very first moderns game about 35 years ago was an eye opener when a teeny armoured car blew apart an MBT from 2000m away... joys of ATGM. The team balance becomes absolutely critical.

[chrisswim]

The difference are with applications to improvements from technology. Go to WW1 from the American Civil War or Franco=Prussian War. Gas, the tank, planes, armored vehicles on land (iron clads in ACW, Union had machine guns(Gatling gun). Take those two examples from the 19th century and compare to the American Revolution (US) or English Civil War.
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The US Military used to have a command: TraDoc: Training and Doctrine. How does the US Army utilize new evolution in technology. Consider the M1 Abrams vs. the M60. Faster, same gun at the time(plans for a 120mm), better armored. China developing gun powder, did that change warfare?
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So with technology improvements, bazooka & panzerfaust in WW2. Rocket technology, Expansion of the aircraft carrier (Union army had an aircraft carrier in the ACW: balloon on a barrage). The games have differences. Can you play Command Decision (WW2) using the data from contemporary modern times? Combined Arms? A writer will tend to maximize a "to hit" value for the best weapon system of the time period. The writer does not consider a weapon of the American Revolution and compare/contrast it to this decade's weapon capability. Infantry, Armor, Cavalry, Arty all are more capable, that is one reason of why there are less soldiers in a platoon, less tanks. So the feel will be different from improvements. But if I can get on your flank or rear area...demoralize your troops, bring superior ....the firstest with the mostest.....

[billb]

The Flames of War WW2 rules do not allow opportunity fire. If Team Yankee is the same then the west will be in serious trouble. I have played the WW2 rules and while fun the lack of opportunity fire and other items did create some unrealistic situations. One of my friends had a platoon of Stuarts. They started out of sight moved down a road straight at some STG's coming down the road from the other direction, passed their bog test, drove along the side of the STG's then proceeded to shoot them in the flank, taking out the STG platoon.

[TAMMY]

This depends on the rules you are using.
An example are GHQ Micro armour gam that foresee Opportunity fore (item 7.4). The same for Micro squad rules.